Road to the 2014 Cheltenham Gold Cup

granger said:
Off the track so long now, I can't see it.

To see a racetrack again would be a victory for connections
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Fair comment but that applies to ever horse in the race when it comes to making it to Cheltenham.

I'd rather risk 10 quid at 70 than 200 at 7/2 about Bobs Worth which is not a price that would interest any serious punter. If he's less than that on the day I'll eat my hat as he's no Kauto Star or Denman


I have the greatest respect for Nicky Henderson as a trainer but winning Gold Cups back to back is near impossible. Kauto, Denman, Imperial Commander all failed recently and only 6 horses in the races 90 year history have done so and they were all more than a bit special.

Granted he's won 5 from 5 at the course but it was a close run race in an ordinary looking Gold Cup this year and he's yet to prove he's anything other than very good.

If Last Instalment does return to the course and wins even a bad race they'll cut his price in half and then you have a bet to nothing. or you can just green up and go.
 
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Harsh on Bobs Worth. Proper horse who deserves plenty of respect. He doesn't have the wow factor Kauto and Denman had on their day but he is hard as nails; that counts for plenty.
 
While KS, Denman and IC didnt win back to back GC's that was largely to do with them all being around at the same time. There doesnt seem to be any novices coming through that would have connections of BW quaking in their boots. He's won a GC on Soft ground and he's likely to be better on better ground.

I'm not an AP backer, but I think its a fair enough price.
 
on my ratings
Bobs Worth posted a better figure than any one did Best Mate or Kauto Star at cheltenham

I think Sir Des Champs is top class but Bobs Worth has very inch a look of a multiple winner of the Gold cup. He is lightly raced, stays very well, in good hand and cheltenham suits him like a glove to the hand.
 
Euronymous said:
Really? NTD has two massive potential staying novice chasers and neither look like going down that route. Interesting.



I'd love to see BW defending his Hennessy.
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Don't think they would want to bottom out Bobs Worth giving away so much weight, Didn't Denman's 2nd hennessy take a hell of a lot out of him?

Harry Topper off 10st10lb however :ninja:
 
I'd be livid if I owned him - there's the whole avoiding stablemates issue but reverting to hurdles for no particular reason (or no logical reason given he's just won the Gold Cup and is sound) seems like they're just trying to keep all their chasers apart for as long as is possible.
 
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i said this in the recent king george thread about BW that, to have a crack at a 2nd hennessy off a huge mark, denman style, would be laudable, i don't think he could achieve what the tank did. he's hard as nails and has the same attitude but his physical stature is totally different and you'd have to wonder how he'd handle 11-12 while the rest of the field receive 1 to 2 stone on him.

haydock & kempton don't suit his style for me and i'd be against him there as well.

not too much wrong with using a hurdle race to tune him up early season. with a view to something like the lexus or the argento as his gold cup prep. it's not like they are abandoning his chase career.
 
I would ignore the whole article. He's just shoting the breeze. There is no way he is going to run in competitive hurdle races this year. He may well open him up over a hurdle race but it will just be a warm up for the GC. He will go for the Gold Cup again and the 7/2 will look big come the day.
 
26 entries stand their ground

Form Horse Age Owner Trainer
21/11-61 BOBS WORTH (IRE) 9 The Not Afraid Partnership Nicky Henderson
3/F1115- BOG WARRIOR (IRE) 10 Gigginstown House Stud Tony Martin IRE
2/11FF-16 BOSTON BOB (IRE) 9 Andrea & Graham Wylie Willie Mullins IRE
12264-31 CAPTAIN CHRIS (IRE) 10 Diana Whateley Philip Hobbs
103-101 CLOUDY TOO (IRE) 8 Formulated Polymer Products Ltd Sue Smith
112-312 CUE CARD 8 Jean Bishop Colin Tizzard
1121-25 DYNASTE (FR) 8 John White David Pipe
213-3423 FIRST LIEUTENANT (IRE) 9 Gigginstown House Stud Mouse Morris IRE
11UB-1331 HARRY TOPPER 7 D J Keyte Kim Bailey
204-1614 HOUBLON DES OBEAUX (FR) 7 Mrs Julian Blackwell Venetia Williams
0211-F443 KATENKO (FR) 8 Andrew Brooks Venetia Williams
UP-51251 KNOCKARA BEAU (IRE) 11 Alistair Charlton George Charlton
3P1111/-31 LAST INSTALMENT (IRE) 9 Gigginstown House Stud Philip Fenton IRE
132-54U LONG RUN (FR) 9 Robert Waley-Cohen Nicky Henderson
1231-006 LORD WINDERMERE (IRE) 8 Dr Ronan Lambe Jim Culloty IRE
2F423-55 LYREEN LEGEND (IRE) 7 Lyreen Syndicate Dessie Hughes IRE
132234/- MEDERMIT (FR) 10 The Dunkley & Reilly Partnership Alan King
4141-U4 MOUNT BENBULBEN (IRE) 9 Barry Connell Gordon Elliott IRE
21113-22 ROCKY CREEK (IRE) 8 The Johnson & Stewart Families Paul Nicholls
1-F21P20 ROI DU MEE (FR) 9 Gigginstown House Stud Gordon Elliott IRE
11F3-31 SILVINIACO CONTI (FR) 8 Potensis Limited & Chris Giles Paul Nicholls
06203-0 TEAFORTHREE (IRE) 10 Conyers, O'Reilly, Roddis, Zeffman Rebecca Curtis
240-0U51 THE GIANT BOLSTER 9 Simon Hunt David Bridgwater
301-131 TRIOLO D'ALENE (FR) 7 Mr & Mrs Sandy Orr Nicky Henderson
114-3103 UNIONISTE (FR) 6 John Hales Paul Nicholls
125-UF1PP VINO GRIEGO (FR) 9 Chris Stedman Gary Moore

26 entries remain after February 11 scratchings deadline
8 Irish-trained
 
Tanlic said:
Fair comment but that applies to ever horse in the race when it comes to making it to Cheltenham.

I'd rather risk 10 quid at 70 than 200 at 7/2 about Bobs Worth which is not a price that would interest any serious punter. If he's less than that on the day I'll eat my hat as he's no Kauto Star or Denman


I have the greatest respect for Nicky Henderson as a trainer but winning Gold Cups back to back is near impossible. Kauto, Denman, Imperial Commander all failed recently and only 6 horses in the races 90 year history have done so and they were all more than a bit special.

Granted he's won 5 from 5 at the course but it was a close run race in an ordinary looking Gold Cup this year and he's yet to prove he's anything other than very good.

If Last Instalment does return to the course and wins even a bad race they'll cut his price in half and then you have a bet to nothing. or you can just green up and go.
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Not a bad call. Hope you took the 50/1 NRNB last week. Might need to commission an edible hat though.
 
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